Holt, Norfolk
Encyclopedia
Holt is a market town
and civil parish in the English
county
of Norfolk
. The town is 22.8 miles (36.7 km) north of the city of Norwich
, 9.5 miles (15.3 km) west of Cromer
and 35 miles (56.3 km) east of King's Lynn
. The town is on the route of the A148
King's Lynn to Cromer road. The nearest railway station is in the town of Sheringham
where access to the national rail network can be made via the Bittern Line
to Norwich. Holt also has a station on the preserved North Norfolk Railway
, ‘The Poppy Line’, of which it is the south-western terminus. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport
. The town has a population
of 3,550. Holt is within the area covered by North Norfolk District Council
.
word for woodland
and Holt is located on wooded high ground of the Cromer
-Holt ridge at the crossing point of two ancient by-ways
and as such was a natural point for a settlement to grow. The town has a mention in the great survey of 1086 known as the Domesday Book
. In the survey it is described as a market town and a port with the nearby port of Cley next the Sea
being described as Holt’s port. It also had five watermill
s and twelve plough
teams and as such was seen as a busy thriving viable settlement then. The first Lord of the Manor
was Walter Giffard
; it passed to Hugh, Earl of Chester, who then left it to the De Vaux
family. By this time Holt had a well-established market and two annual fairs which were held on the 25th of April and the 25th of November. Over the years Holt grew as a local place of trade and commerce. The weekly market which has taken place since before the 1080s was stopped in 1960s.
ed chancel
destroyed and the lead
melted from the windows with the flames spreading up the steeple
. Local reports of the time state that the fire spread so swiftly that the butcher
s did not have time to rescue their meat from their stalls on the market. The damage to the town was estimated to be in the region of £11,000. which was a massive amount of money at that time. After the fire the town received many donations from all over the country and the task of reconstruction began.
buildings, that being the style of the day at the time when the town centre was rebuilt. However, the town repaired and retains its Norman parish church, which is dedicated to St Andrew. It has been noted that if the town of Holt had not been destroyed by the fire in 1708 it would now look very similar to the town of Lavenham
in Suffolk
.
, a long-established public school
founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham, originally for boys only but co-educational since 1971.
The school's former students (Old Greshamians) include Benjamin Britten
, W. H. Auden
, Lord Reith, Sir Alan Lloyd Hodgkin
, President Erskine Childers
, Sir Christopher Cockerell
, Donald Maclean
, Sir Lennox Berkeley
, Sir Stephen Spender
, Tom Wintringham
, Sir James Dyson
, Ralph Firman
, Sir Peter Brook
, Sebastian Shaw
, Sienna Guillory
and Michael Cummings.
There is no state High School
in the town so children are educated at Sheringham High School from the ages of ages of 12-16.
It was owned by Henry Burcham-Rogers, who inherited it from his father John Rogers in 1906.
Henry Burcham-Rogers kept the Hall until his death in 1945.
Holt Hall is currently a Field Studies Centre run by Norfolk County Council.
The premises traded as a hardware shop or ironmonger's for over 100 years under the ownership of the Byford family. Byfords is now run as a cafe, delicatessen, and B&B
.
in 1887 until 1921 it stood in the Market Place, where it had two functions, to provide light to the Market Place and to provide drinking water from two fountains at the bottom. The light was powered by the town's gas supply, which at the time was sporadic and unreliable, hence the nickname "Blind Sam". It was moved to Obelisk Plain in 1921 to make way for the War Memorial. Made by ironmongers in Glasgow
, it was restored locally in the 1990s.
park, the other having been given to the town of Dereham in 1757. Each gatepost had the distances to various places from Holt and Dereham respectively carved into the stone. At the start of World War II
, in order to avoid assisting the enemy in the event of invasion, the townspeople of Dereham dumped their obelisk down a deep well, where it remains to this day. The people of Holt whitewashed their obelisk at the start of World War II and it remains in good condition and a cause of great interest.
jet aircraft collided at 14500 ft (4,419.6 m) over the town of Holt. All 7 crew from both aircraft were killed. A memorial stone hangs inside Saint Andrew's
Church.
and native broadleaves. Its rich ground flora supports an abundant display of wildlife including deer
. The Park has achieved a Green Flag Award
every year since 2005. The park is very popular with school and families where they join in environmental and arts events throughout the year. The park has many amenities that include two car parks, visitor centre and public toilets, way-marked routes suitable for walkers and wheelchairs and pushchair users. There is also orienteering posts in the park for groups to use. The park is free to the public with a small charge for parking.
of 1807. The poor of Holt had grazing rights for an animal and also had the right to take wood and gorse from the land for their own use. It is likely that the land was never used by the poor of Holt as the land was not wholly suitable. The Lowes was used for military training during World War I
. It is open to the public along with Holt Country Park. The Lowes has long been recognized as an important area for wildlife, with records going back to the 18th Century. It was declared an SSSI in 1954 and for a while managed as a nature reserve by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust
, which continues to act as Managing Agents for the Trustees. As on all lowland heaths, there is a constant need for management to prevent the encroachment of trees. Recent work has concentrated on clearing a large part of the mixed valley mire, an area of Sphagnum
bog
that supports plants like Sundew
s and several species of Dragonfly
, including one, the Keeled Skimmer
, found nowhere else in East Anglia.
. Most of this network was closed by British Railways in 1959 but the short section from Melton Constable railway station
via Holt to Sheringham (services continuing on to Cromer and Norwich) escaped closure for a few more years - finally succumbing in 1964 when the branch was cut back to Sheringham (now the nearest national rail-head, served by frequent services to Norwich along the 'Bittern Line
'). In 1965, within a year of the closure of this line, the North Norfolk Railway
was formed to restore part of the line as an independent heritage steam railway. Initially it operated between Sheringham and Weybourne; later it was extended to the eastern edge of Holt. Until a few years ago, a horse-bus service, the "Holt Flyer", ran between the Railway Tavern in the town centre and the new railway station, timed to connect with trains. The horse-bus has now been replaced by a Routemaster
bus. There are now plans to extend the railway back towards the town centre.
's classic science fiction
series Doctor Who
. The Doctor Who
Midsummer Invasion attracted many fans of the ever-popular show to the town as well as some of its previous stars. Organised by Planet Skaro, a local sci-fi store that has subsequently closed, the highlight of the day was a Dalek parade
through the town centre.
The Doctor Who
themed events proved very popular, the Sunday especially so, with over 10,000 people visiting the town.
Due to the success of the first Invasion, another science fiction themed event took place in Holt on 30 June 2007.
, formed in 1961. The club's first match was played against West Norfolk on Gresham's School
playing field. In the early days the team used the White Lion Hotel (now closed) for their changing rooms and hospitality
. In 1967 the club was able to purchase 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) of land on the eastern side of Bridge Road in nearby High Kelling
. The club began playing their home games at their new facilities in 1969. At Bridge Road the club has three full-size pitches, six dedicated mini pitches and a clubhouse which was built in 1970. There are changing room facilities for up to 100 players. The club has three senior sides, a junior side and mini rugby sides for age 6 through to 12 year olds.
Holt United Football Club has a longer history than the Rugby Club. It was formed in 1894 and was a founder member of the North Norfolk
and Norwich
League, which began in 1895. In 1927 the club joined the Norwich and District League and went on to win this league on five occasions. In 1935 the club was in the Norfolk
and Suffolk
League and did not suffer a league defeat until December that year, when they lost to Norwich City A at Carrow Road. Holt was the first amateur team to play at the newly-built Carrow Road ground. In 1985 Holt United left their ground at Jubilee Road, which was sold to finance the new Sports Centre complex on Kelling Road. For one season Holt played their matches at Gresham's School
. In 1986 the club moved to their new ground at the Sports Centre. Four years later they dropped into Junior football. During the past three seasons the club have remained in Division One of the Anglian Combination. At present Holt United run four sides, the first team and the reserves playing in the Anglian Combination
and the third team and a colts team in the North East Norfolk League
.
Holt Harlequins Hockey Club (formerly Cromer Hockey Club) plays at the astro turf ground at Greshams school.
Holt has a King George's Field in memorial to King George V
.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
and civil parish in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county
Counties of England
Counties of England are areas used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. For administrative purposes, England outside Greater London and the Isles of Scilly is divided into 83 counties. The counties may consist of a single district or be divided into several...
of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. The town is 22.8 miles (36.7 km) north of the city of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, 9.5 miles (15.3 km) west of Cromer
Cromer
Cromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
and 35 miles (56.3 km) east of King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
. The town is on the route of the A148
A148 road
The A148 is an English A road entirely in the county of Norfolk. It runs from King's Lynn to Cromer via Fakenham which it bypasses to the north.-King’s Lynn starting point:...
King's Lynn to Cromer road. The nearest railway station is in the town of Sheringham
Sheringham
Sheringham is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, west of Cromer.The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban District Council, is Mare Ditat Pinusque Decorat, Latin for "The sea enriches and the pine adorns"....
where access to the national rail network can be made via the Bittern Line
Bittern Line
The Bittern Line is a railway line from Norwich to Cromer then Sheringham in Norfolk, England. It is one of the most scenic in the East of England traversing the Norfolk Broads on its route to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the North Norfolk Coast. The line is part of the Network Rail...
to Norwich. Holt also has a station on the preserved North Norfolk Railway
North Norfolk Railway
The North Norfolk Railway – also known as the "Poppy Line" – is a heritage steam railway in Norfolk, England, running between the coastal town of Sheringham and Holt, It cuts through the countryside to the east of Weybourne with views of its windmill and passes through the well preserved country...
, ‘The Poppy Line’, of which it is the south-western terminus. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport
Norwich International Airport
Norwich International Airport , also known as Norwich Airport, is an airport in the City of Norwich within Norfolk, England north of the city centre and on the edge of the city's suburbs....
. The town has a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 3,550. Holt is within the area covered by North Norfolk District Council
North Norfolk
North Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, United Kingdom. Its council is based in Cromer. The council headquarters can be found approximately out of the town of Cromer on the Holt Road.-History:...
.
Origins
The name Holt is thought to derive from the Anglo-SaxonOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
word for woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
and Holt is located on wooded high ground of the Cromer
Cromer
Cromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
-Holt ridge at the crossing point of two ancient by-ways
Byway (road)
A byway in the United Kingdom is a minor secondary or tertiary road. In 2000 the legal term 'restricted byway' was introduced to cover roads on which it is possible to travel by any mode but not using 'mechanically propelled vehicles'.-Byway Open to All Traffic :In England & Wales, a Byway Open to...
and as such was a natural point for a settlement to grow. The town has a mention in the great survey of 1086 known as the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. In the survey it is described as a market town and a port with the nearby port of Cley next the Sea
Cley next the Sea
Cley next the Sea is a village on the River Glaven in Norfolk, England, 4 miles north-west of Holt and east of Blakeney. The main A149 coast road runs through the centre of the village, causing congestion in the summer months due to the tight, narrow streets. It lies within the Norfolk Coast AONB...
being described as Holt’s port. It also had five watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
s and twelve plough
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
teams and as such was seen as a busy thriving viable settlement then. The first Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
was Walter Giffard
Walter Giffard
Walter Giffard was Lord Chancellor of England and Archbishop of York.-Family:Giffard was the son of Hugh Giffard, of Boyton in Wiltshire; his mother was Sibyl, the daughter and co-heiress of Walter de Cormeilles. Walter was born about 1225, and may have been the oldest son. Hugh and Sybil were...
; it passed to Hugh, Earl of Chester, who then left it to the De Vaux
De Vaux
The De Vaux was an automobile produced by the De Vaux Motors Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan and Oakland, California ....
family. By this time Holt had a well-established market and two annual fairs which were held on the 25th of April and the 25th of November. Over the years Holt grew as a local place of trade and commerce. The weekly market which has taken place since before the 1080s was stopped in 1960s.
The great fire of Holt
On 1 May 1708 the town of Holt was devastated by a fire which destroyed most of the medieval town in the matter of three hours. The fire started at Shirehall Plain and quickly spread through the timber houses of the town. The church was also badly damaged with its thatchThatching
Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge , rushes, or heather, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. It is a very old roofing method and has been used in both tropical and temperate climates...
ed chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
destroyed and the lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
melted from the windows with the flames spreading up the steeple
Steeple (architecture)
A steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
. Local reports of the time state that the fire spread so swiftly that the butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
s did not have time to rescue their meat from their stalls on the market. The damage to the town was estimated to be in the region of £11,000. which was a massive amount of money at that time. After the fire the town received many donations from all over the country and the task of reconstruction began.
Georgian Holt
With most of the medieval buildings destroyed in the fire the townsfolk set about rebuilding the town. The rebuilding made Holt notable for its abundance of GeorgianGeorgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
buildings, that being the style of the day at the time when the town centre was rebuilt. However, the town repaired and retains its Norman parish church, which is dedicated to St Andrew. It has been noted that if the town of Holt had not been destroyed by the fire in 1708 it would now look very similar to the town of Lavenham
Lavenham
Lavenham is a village and civil parish in Suffolk, England. It is noted for its 15th century church, half-timbered medieval cottages and circular walk. In the medieval period it was among the 20 wealthiest settlements in England...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
.
Gresham's school
Holt is the seat of Gresham's SchoolGresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
, a long-established public school
Public School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham, originally for boys only but co-educational since 1971.
The school's former students (Old Greshamians) include Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
, W. H. Auden
W. H. Auden
Wystan Hugh Auden , who published as W. H. Auden, was an Anglo-American poet,The first definition of "Anglo-American" in the OED is: "Of, belonging to, or involving both England and America." See also the definition "English in origin or birth, American by settlement or citizenship" in See also...
, Lord Reith, Sir Alan Lloyd Hodgkin
Alan Lloyd Hodgkin
Sir Alan Lloyd Hodgkin, OM, KBE, PRS was a British physiologist and biophysicist, who shared the 1963 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Andrew Huxley and John Eccles....
, President Erskine Childers
Erskine Hamilton Childers
Erskine Hamilton Childers served as the fourth President of Ireland from 1973 until his death in 1974. He was a Teachta Dála from 1938 until 1973...
, Sir Christopher Cockerell
Christopher Cockerell
Sir Christopher Sydney Cockerell CBE FRS was an English engineer, inventor of the hovercraft.-Life:Cockerell was born in Cambridge, where his father, Sir Sydney Cockerell, was curator of the Fitzwilliam Museum, having previously been the secretary of William Morris. Christopher Cockerell was...
, Donald Maclean
Donald Duart Maclean
Donald Duart Maclean was a British diplomat and member of the Cambridge Five who were members of MI5, MI6 or the diplomatic service who acted as spies for the Soviet Union in the Second World War and beyond. He was recruited as a "straight penetration agent" while an undergraduate at Cambridge by...
, Sir Lennox Berkeley
Lennox Berkeley
Sir Lennox Randal Francis Berkeley was an English composer.- Biography :He was born in Oxford, England, and educated at the Dragon School, Gresham's School and Merton College, Oxford...
, Sir Stephen Spender
Stephen Spender
Sir Stephen Harold Spender CBE was an English poet, novelist and essayist who concentrated on themes of social injustice and the class struggle in his work...
, Tom Wintringham
Tom Wintringham
Thomas Henry Wintringham was a British soldier, military historian, journalist, poet, Marxist, politician and author. He was an important figure in the formation of the Home Guard during World War II and was one of the founders of the Common Wealth Party.-Early life:Tom Wintringham was born 1898...
, Sir James Dyson
James Dyson
Sir James Dyson is a British industrial designer and founder of the Dyson company.He is best known as the inventor of the Dual Cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner, which works on the principle of cyclonic separation. His net worth in 2011 was said to be £1.45 billion.-Early life:Dyson was born in...
, Ralph Firman
Ralph Firman
Ralph David Firman Jr. is an English-born racing driver who races under Irish citizenship and an Irish-issued racing licence. Earlier in his career he raced under a British licence...
, Sir Peter Brook
Peter Brook
Peter Stephen Paul Brook CH, CBE is an English theatre and film director and innovator, who has been based in France since the early 1970s.-Life:...
, Sebastian Shaw
Sebastian Shaw (actor)
Sebastian Lewis Shaw was an English actor, director, novelist, playwright and poet. During his 65-year career, Shaw appeared in dozens of stage performances and more than 40 film and television productions....
, Sienna Guillory
Sienna Guillory
Sienna Tiggy Guillory is an English actress, and former model. She is known for playing the title role in the TV miniseries, Helen of Troy, her portrayal of Jill Valentine in the science fiction action horror film Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and as elf princess Arya Dröttningu in fantasy-adventure...
and Michael Cummings.
Other schools
Holt Community Primary School is a state primary school for children aged 5–11. The Infant School was built in 1910 with the Junior School being built by 1928. The Infant School and Junior School was amalgamated in 1965 to form Holt County Primary School. The school has been extended and developed over the years with an activities hall, offices, staff room and library built in the mid 1990s. The most recent addition to the school has been in the form of a new school kitchen. The old kitchen and canteen was demolished. The school changed its name in 1999 to Holt Community Primary School.There is no state High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in the town so children are educated at Sheringham High School from the ages of ages of 12-16.
Holt Hall
The Hall was built in the 1840s and extended in the 1860s. The Hall is located in an 86 acres (348,030 m²) estate made up of ancient woodlands, lawns, lakes and gardens.It was owned by Henry Burcham-Rogers, who inherited it from his father John Rogers in 1906.
Henry Burcham-Rogers kept the Hall until his death in 1945.
Holt Hall is currently a Field Studies Centre run by Norfolk County Council.
Byfords
1-3 Shirehall Plain - The building is thought to be the oldest house in Holt (the cellar dates back to the 15th century), a survivor of the great fire of Holt in 1708 and a further fire in the building in 1906.The premises traded as a hardware shop or ironmonger's for over 100 years under the ownership of the Byford family. Byfords is now run as a cafe, delicatessen, and B&B
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
.
Blind Sam
Blind Sam is the name given locally to the Queen Victoria Jubilee Lantern located in Obelisk Plain. From the year of Victoria's Golden JubileeGolden Jubilee of Queen Victoria
The Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom was celebrated on June 20, 1887. Victoria marked the fiftieth anniversary of her accession on June 20, 1887 with a banquet to which 50 European kings and princes were invited.-History:...
in 1887 until 1921 it stood in the Market Place, where it had two functions, to provide light to the Market Place and to provide drinking water from two fountains at the bottom. The light was powered by the town's gas supply, which at the time was sporadic and unreliable, hence the nickname "Blind Sam". It was moved to Obelisk Plain in 1921 to make way for the War Memorial. Made by ironmongers in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, it was restored locally in the 1990s.
The Obelisk
The pineapple-topped obelisk at Holt is one of a pair gateposts from Melton ConstableMelton Constable
Melton Constable is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 518 in 225 households as of the 2001 census.For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of North Norfolk...
park, the other having been given to the town of Dereham in 1757. Each gatepost had the distances to various places from Holt and Dereham respectively carved into the stone. At the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in order to avoid assisting the enemy in the event of invasion, the townspeople of Dereham dumped their obelisk down a deep well, where it remains to this day. The people of Holt whitewashed their obelisk at the start of World War II and it remains in good condition and a cause of great interest.
Holt water tower
The town's water was pumped from the common land at Spout Hills to the water tower in Shirehall Plain. The tower was made from bricks, built in 1885 and was 56 ft (17.1 m) high. It held around 150,000 gallons of water and the water level inside the tank could be read from the ground. The tower was demolished in the 1950s.Holt windmill
A brick-built windmill was erected in the late eighteenth century: when put up for sale in the summer of 1792 it was described as "newly built". It was used by many different owners until the early 1920s. The sails were removed in 1922 and the rest of the machinery was removed in the 1930s. The brick tower was then used for storage until deemed unsafe. The brick tower was demolished in the 1970s. There are now homes on the site, known as Mill Court.RAF mid-air collision (1968)
On 19 August 1968, two Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
jet aircraft collided at 14500 ft (4,419.6 m) over the town of Holt. All 7 crew from both aircraft were killed. A memorial stone hangs inside Saint Andrew's
Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
Church.
Holt Country Park
Holt Country Park is a short walk from the town. It has had a chequered history, including a horseracing course, heath, farmland, forestry, and woodland garden. It has now been developed into a tranquil woodland dominated with Scots PineScots Pine
Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
and native broadleaves. Its rich ground flora supports an abundant display of wildlife including deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
. The Park has achieved a Green Flag Award
Green Flag Award
The Green Flag Award is the benchmark national standard for parks and green spaces in the United Kingdom. The scheme was set up in 1996 to recognise and reward green spaces in England and Wales that met the laid down high standards...
every year since 2005. The park is very popular with school and families where they join in environmental and arts events throughout the year. The park has many amenities that include two car parks, visitor centre and public toilets, way-marked routes suitable for walkers and wheelchairs and pushchair users. There is also orienteering posts in the park for groups to use. The park is free to the public with a small charge for parking.
Holt Lowes
The Lowes is an area of heathland of around 120 acre (0.4856232 km²) to the south of Holt set aside by the Inclosure ActInclosure Act
The Inclosure or Enclosure Acts were a series of United Kingdom Acts of Parliament which enclosed open fields and common land in the country. They removed previously existing rights of local people to carry out activities in these areas, such as cultivation, cutting hay, grazing animals or using...
of 1807. The poor of Holt had grazing rights for an animal and also had the right to take wood and gorse from the land for their own use. It is likely that the land was never used by the poor of Holt as the land was not wholly suitable. The Lowes was used for military training during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. It is open to the public along with Holt Country Park. The Lowes has long been recognized as an important area for wildlife, with records going back to the 18th Century. It was declared an SSSI in 1954 and for a while managed as a nature reserve by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust
Norfolk Wildlife Trust
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Norfolk, England, formerly known as the Norfolk Naturalists' Trust, is one of almost 50 wildlife trusts throughout the United Kingdom.Founded in 1926, it is the oldest of all the trusts....
, which continues to act as Managing Agents for the Trustees. As on all lowland heaths, there is a constant need for management to prevent the encroachment of trees. Recent work has concentrated on clearing a large part of the mixed valley mire, an area of Sphagnum
Sphagnum
Sphagnum is a genus of between 151 and 350 species of mosses commonly called peat moss, due to its prevalence in peat bogs and mires. A distinction is made between sphagnum moss, the live moss growing on top of a peat bog on one hand, and sphagnum peat moss or sphagnum peat on the other, the...
bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
that supports plants like Sundew
Sundew
Drosera, commonly known as the sundews, comprise one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. These members of the family Droseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucilaginous glands covering their leaf surface. The insects are used to supplement...
s and several species of Dragonfly
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
, including one, the Keeled Skimmer
Keeled Skimmer
The Keeled Skimmer, Orthetrum coerulescens, is a species of European dragonfly. This species resembles the Black-tailed Skimmer but is slimmer and the male has no black tip. Females and immature males lack the black abdominal pattern...
, found nowhere else in East Anglia.
Spout Hills
These consist of 14 acres (56,656 m²) of green space, which provided the town of Holt with all of its water needs, enabling it to grow and flourish. An old reservoir still exists but the pumping station was dismantled in the 1950s. A working party is currently restoring and conserving the hills for future generations by removing scrub, keeping the pastures clear and managing the woodlands which have grown up over the last 50 years.Railways
Holt railway station, opened in 1887, was served by the Midland and Great Northern RailwayMidland and Great Northern Joint Railway
The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, was a joint railway owned by the Midland Railway and the Great Northern Railway in eastern England, affectionately known as the 'Muddle and Get Nowhere' to generations of passengers, enthusiasts, and other users.The main line ran from Peterborough to...
. Most of this network was closed by British Railways in 1959 but the short section from Melton Constable railway station
Melton Constable railway station
Melton Constable was a railway station on the Midland and Great Northern Railway which served the North Norfolk village of Melton Constable from 1882 to 1964...
via Holt to Sheringham (services continuing on to Cromer and Norwich) escaped closure for a few more years - finally succumbing in 1964 when the branch was cut back to Sheringham (now the nearest national rail-head, served by frequent services to Norwich along the 'Bittern Line
Bittern Line
The Bittern Line is a railway line from Norwich to Cromer then Sheringham in Norfolk, England. It is one of the most scenic in the East of England traversing the Norfolk Broads on its route to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the North Norfolk Coast. The line is part of the Network Rail...
'). In 1965, within a year of the closure of this line, the North Norfolk Railway
North Norfolk Railway
The North Norfolk Railway – also known as the "Poppy Line" – is a heritage steam railway in Norfolk, England, running between the coastal town of Sheringham and Holt, It cuts through the countryside to the east of Weybourne with views of its windmill and passes through the well preserved country...
was formed to restore part of the line as an independent heritage steam railway. Initially it operated between Sheringham and Weybourne; later it was extended to the eastern edge of Holt. Until a few years ago, a horse-bus service, the "Holt Flyer", ran between the Railway Tavern in the town centre and the new railway station, timed to connect with trains. The horse-bus has now been replaced by a Routemaster
Routemaster
The AEC Routemaster is a model of double-decker bus that was built by Associated Equipment Company in 1954 and produced until 1968. Primarily front-engined, rear open-platform buses, a small number of variants were produced with doors and/or front entrances...
bus. There are now plans to extend the railway back towards the town centre.
Holt Summer Festival
The Holt Summer Festival started in 2009 is an arts festival. The event ran for a week and included music, theatre, literature, cinema and art. The next Holt Summer Festival is planned for July 2010.Holt Christmas lights
Holt's Christmas lights are seen by many people as the best in the county and bring people to the town from near and far through November and December. The Holt Christmas lights have been running for a number of years and are accompanied by a number of other attractions in the town centre, mainly sponsored by local people and businesses. The lights switch on night is usually followed by local radio and television coverage in the last week of November.The Doctor Who Events
On Sunday 25 June 2006, Holt was "invaded" by Daleks. The event was a celebration of BBC TelevisionBBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
's classic science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
. The Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
Midsummer Invasion attracted many fans of the ever-popular show to the town as well as some of its previous stars. Organised by Planet Skaro, a local sci-fi store that has subsequently closed, the highlight of the day was a Dalek parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
through the town centre.
The Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
themed events proved very popular, the Sunday especially so, with over 10,000 people visiting the town.
Due to the success of the first Invasion, another science fiction themed event took place in Holt on 30 June 2007.
Sport and recreation
Holt has a Rugby football clubRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, formed in 1961. The club's first match was played against West Norfolk on Gresham's School
Gresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
playing field. In the early days the team used the White Lion Hotel (now closed) for their changing rooms and hospitality
Hospitality
Hospitality is the relationship between guest and host, or the act or practice of being hospitable. Specifically, this includes the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers, resorts, membership clubs, conventions, attractions, special events, and other services for travelers...
. In 1967 the club was able to purchase 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) of land on the eastern side of Bridge Road in nearby High Kelling
High Kelling
High Kelling is a village and civil parish in the north of the English county of Norfolk. The village is located on the A148 road which links Cromer to King's Lynn. The village is 1.7 miles east of the town of Holt, and 7.8 miles west of Cromer. High Kelling is within the area covered by North...
. The club began playing their home games at their new facilities in 1969. At Bridge Road the club has three full-size pitches, six dedicated mini pitches and a clubhouse which was built in 1970. There are changing room facilities for up to 100 players. The club has three senior sides, a junior side and mini rugby sides for age 6 through to 12 year olds.
Holt United Football Club has a longer history than the Rugby Club. It was formed in 1894 and was a founder member of the North Norfolk
North Norfolk
North Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, United Kingdom. Its council is based in Cromer. The council headquarters can be found approximately out of the town of Cromer on the Holt Road.-History:...
and Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
League, which began in 1895. In 1927 the club joined the Norwich and District League and went on to win this league on five occasions. In 1935 the club was in the Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
and Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
League and did not suffer a league defeat until December that year, when they lost to Norwich City A at Carrow Road. Holt was the first amateur team to play at the newly-built Carrow Road ground. In 1985 Holt United left their ground at Jubilee Road, which was sold to finance the new Sports Centre complex on Kelling Road. For one season Holt played their matches at Gresham's School
Gresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
. In 1986 the club moved to their new ground at the Sports Centre. Four years later they dropped into Junior football. During the past three seasons the club have remained in Division One of the Anglian Combination. At present Holt United run four sides, the first team and the reserves playing in the Anglian Combination
Anglian Combination
The Anglian Combination Football League is an English football league that operates in the East Anglia area. The league specifically covers Norfolk and northern Suffolk and is also known as the Dolphin Autos Anglian Combination Football League after its principal sponsor...
and the third team and a colts team in the North East Norfolk League
North East Norfolk League
The North East Norfolk League League is a football competition based in England. It was founded in 1922 and has a total of 3 divisions catering for 34 teams...
.
Holt Harlequins Hockey Club (formerly Cromer Hockey Club) plays at the astro turf ground at Greshams school.
Holt has a King George's Field in memorial to King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
.
Notable people
- Sir William StanleyWilliam Stanley (Battle of Bosworth)Sir William Stanley was an English soldier and the younger brother of Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby. Stanley fought with his troops in several battles of the Wars of the Roses.-Private life:...
(1435-1495), soldier, Lord Chamberlain - Dr Thomas GirdlestoneThomas GirdlestoneThomas Girdlestone was an English physician and writer.-Education and career:After a classical education at Gresham's School, Holt, Girdlestone joined the army as a surgeon's mate, serving under Colonel Sir Charles Stuart, governor of Minorca, and in India...
(1758–1822), physician - Sir John GreshamJohn GreshamSir John Gresham was an English merchant, courtier and financier who worked for King Henry VIII of England, Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell. He was Lord Mayor of London and founded Gresham's School.-Life:...
(1492–1556), merchant, founder of Gresham's School - Sir Richard GreshamRichard GreshamSir Richard Gresham was an English merchant, Lord Mayor of London, and member of parliament. He was the father of Sir Thomas Gresham.-Family:...
(1494–1549), merchant and MP - John HolmesJohn Holmes (schoolmaster)John Holmes , was an 18th century schoolmaster and writer on education, Master of Gresham's School in Norfolk.-Life:Holmes is described in a 1729 broadsheet of his Latin verses as ex schola Holtensis....
(1703–1760), educationist - Edmund RogersEdmund RogersEdmund Dawson Rogers , was an English journalist and spiritualist...
(1823–1910), journalist and spiritualist - Sebastian ShawSebastian Shaw (actor)Sebastian Lewis Shaw was an English actor, director, novelist, playwright and poet. During his 65-year career, Shaw appeared in dozens of stage performances and more than 40 film and television productions....
(1905–94), actor - Logie Bruce LockhartLogie Bruce LockhartLogie Bruce Lockhart MA , is a British writer and journalist, formerly a Scottish international rugby union footballer and headmaster of Gresham's School.-Background:...
(born 1921), writer and journalist - Sir Matthew PinsentMatthew PinsentSir Matthew Clive Pinsent CBE is an English rower and broadcaster. During his rowing career, he won 10 world championship gold medals and four consecutive Olympic gold medals, of which three were with Steve Redgrave...
(born 1970), Olympic gold medallist in rowing - Gareth SibsonGareth SibsonGareth JH Sibson is a writer and broadcaster. His debut novel, was a frank look at relationships in London. The book drew on his own experiences of dating in London and analysed the women of a generation inspired by Bridget Jones and Sex and the City. Before becoming a writer and broadcaster,...
(born 1977), writer and broadcaster - Kieron WilliamsonKieron WilliamsonKieron Williamson is a watercolour artist from Holt, Norfolk in England. His paintings and ability by the age of six have caused considerable interest in the UK media and are notable for his advanced use of perspective and shading....
(born c.2002), landscape artist
See also
- List of closed railway stations in Britain
- A148A148 roadThe A148 is an English A road entirely in the county of Norfolk. It runs from King's Lynn to Cromer via Fakenham which it bypasses to the north.-King’s Lynn starting point:...
King's Lynn-Cromer road.